Savage/Dark build advice...?

[MaskedMan]

I tend to solo a lot and am mostly a casual player. Currently I am a bit on a budget (have to get by without purples for a little while). That said, if anyone could point me in a good direction it would be appreciated.

[Wimbochismo]

There's really two (or more) different ways you can build a */Dark. In general you're going to be building high resistances, slow resistance, and Dark Regen uptime for heals.

 

One is to leverage the last two cc toggles and run with a lower defense. You need to beef up endurance and be aware of how cc toggles interact with mobs and other powers. Snarky has several really good threads on this like the Dark/Dark further down.

 

The other is to not use, or sparingly use the cc toggles and instead beef up melee defense. This has an advantage of hurting end less, and being more defensively well-rounded. You're still at risk of having no ddr. I admit it also guts some of the functionality of */Dark to pull it off.

 

For Savage, general consensus is to not use Hemorrhage. You only want to use Blood Frenzy stacks on Rending Flurry to increase the radius and dmg. Otherwise you keep it built up to take advantage of the end and rech bonus. Using Blood Thirst during the lockout period after Rending still grants you full Blood Frenzy stacks. Adding recharge to it may be advantageous. You want Savage Leap procced out.

 

I posted this build in another thread, but it's the melee defense version Sav/Dark. It's expensive but you can switch the purps for orange equivalents. No end problems and you can run every toggle np. Should give you idea's.

Savdark$$.mbd

[MaskedMan]

1 hour ago, Wimbochismo said:

There's really two (or more) different ways you can build a */Dark. In general you're going to be building high resistances, slow resistance, and Dark Regen uptime for heals.

 

One is to leverage the last two cc toggles and run with a lower defense. You need to beef up endurance and be aware of how cc toggles interact with mobs and other powers. Snarky has several really good threads on this like the Dark/Dark further down.

 

The other is to not use, or sparingly use the cc toggles and instead beef up melee defense. This has an advantage of hurting end less, and being more defensively well-rounded. You're still at risk of having no ddr. I admit it also guts some of the functionality of */Dark to pull it off.

 

For Savage, general consensus is to not use Hemorrhage. You only want to use Blood Frenzy stacks on Rending Flurry to increase the radius and dmg. Otherwise you keep it built up to take advantage of the end and rech bonus. Using Blood Thirst during the lockout period after Rending still grants you full Blood Frenzy stacks. Adding recharge to it may be advantageous. You want Savage Leap procced out.

 

I posted this build in another thread, but it's the melee defense version Sav/Dark. It's expensive but you can switch the purps for orange equivalents. No end problems and you can run every toggle np. Should give you idea's.

Savdark$$.mbd 42.63 kB · 0 downloads

Thanks for this! What would be temporary alternatives for hetacomb and armageddon if I had to?

[Wimbochismo]

17 minutes ago, MaskedMan said:

Thanks for this! What would be temporary alternatives for hetacomb and armageddon if I had to?

 

Hecatomb switch for Crushing Impact. Armageddon for Obliteration.

[MaskedMan]

Super! Thanks again 👍

 

[Without_Pause]

If/When you do switch in purples, put in the damage proc for Hecatomb versus the D/R IO since damage is already so over the ED cap, and recharge is partly so.

[MaskedMan]

4 hours ago, Without_Pause said:

If/When you do switch in purples, put in the damage proc for Hecatomb versus the D/R IO since damage is already so over the ED cap, and recharge is partly so.

Noted. Thank you 

[jprewitt73]

I currently run a Savage/Dark Brute and honestly? This pair was made for each other. Your primary increases your end redux and recharge to a secondary that desperately needs them both. It's a match made in heaven. 

 

With my current build I have near capped melee defense and I run both the Fear and Disorient toggles. Being able to build in additional end redux (via set bonuses) has been a huge help. During long solo fights against AVs I will normally turn off Cloak of Fear (it doesn't do anything to any AV anyway) and I can punch and scrape endlessley without running out of end. 

 

This is what I am currently running: 

 

There seems to be a difference between Mids and actual gameplay. My melee defense is at 42% in game with no outside buffs, but in Mids it shows at 38%. So, not sure what's going on there. However, this build has been a absolute blast to play. It hits hard, takes out minions and lts easily in groups, and I can solo +2 AVs with relative ease. 

 

Add on to what others have said, you should check out @Snarky and his threads about /Dark Armor. I got a lot of inspiration from him for this build. 

 

SInUtero.mbd

[MaskedMan]

On 8/14/2023 at 4:18 PM, jprewitt73 said:

I currently run a Savage/Dark Brute and honestly? This pair was made for each other. Your primary increases your end redux and recharge to a secondary that desperately needs them both. It's a match made in heaven. 

 

With my current build I have near capped melee defense and I run both the Fear and Disorient toggles. Being able to build in additional end redux (via set bonuses) has been a huge help. During long solo fights against AVs I will normally turn off Cloak of Fear (it doesn't do anything to any AV anyway) and I can punch and scrape endlessley without running out of end. 

 

This is what I am currently running: 

 

There seems to be a difference between Mids and actual gameplay. My melee defense is at 42% in game with no outside buffs, but in Mids it shows at 38%. So, not sure what's going on there. However, this build has been a absolute blast to play. It hits hard, takes out minions and lts easily in groups, and I can solo +2 AVs with relative ease. 

 

Add on to what others have said, you should check out @Snarky and his threads about /Dark Armor. I got a lot of inspiration from him for this build. 

 

SInUtero.mbd 43.44 kB · 3 downloads

Thank you! The more input the better.